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WiPSU Update Issue 6
Women In Politics Support Unit (WIPSU)
November 04, 2011

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Women's Parliamentary Caucus Media and Advocacy Training

In September WiPSU in partnership with IPS facilitated a media and advocacy training workshop for women Parliamentarians. 32 members of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) attended and among them was the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hon Nomalanga Khumalo. Hon Khumalo noted that alongside Parliament, the media plays a pivotal role in the political, economic and social development of our society as such, the relationship between Parliament and media should be symbiotic as both thrive to uphold and protect the virtues of good governance for the benefit of our society. She also said that considering the recently re launched 50/50 campaign, and the need to engender the constitution drafting exercise, this engagement between ZWPC and media has come at the right time. The need for a good working relationship between media and the women Parliamentarians, on crafting a gender sensitive constitution cannot be overemphasized.

For WiPSU it is important that whilst the media should play its role in allowing equitable coverage of female politicians, the women Members of Parliament should also play their role in actively engaging the media. It is most important at this time of Constitution making, that the WPC as a whole and the female MPs individually ensure the media presence of women specific issues. As the Deputy Speaker of parliament said "We are aware that objective gender sensitive media reports on engendering the constitution will galvanize key stakeholders into requisite collaboration and cooperation. The attainment of the 50/50 representation is not an event. It is a process. Similarly, constitution making process is also a process not an event. The two processes are similar, and both require inclusive and multi stakeholder participation. I call on the media to join hands with the ZWPC and play its role of informing and education our people at all levels on the need for gender equality as a prerequisite for sustainable economic and political development."

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